Council have published my home address against my planning objection

mjm3346

From the PSA guide to GDPR

For example, the publication on an LPA’s website of individuals’ names and

addresses in connection with planning applications is required by article 402 of the

Development Management Procedure Order (for more details see Appendix 2); in

contrast, the publication of their email addresses, signatures and telephone numbers

is likely to be excessive to the task.

leafy211

I agree that there might be times when information might need to be shared, which should be explained to the objector who then does or does not give approval for personal details to be given.  And if they choose not, then possibly they forfeit their opportunity to object - obviously depending on what the objection actually is.  (Its not rocket science - incredibly easy to procedurise).  But for it to be displayed to anyone in the world who happens to land on this particular planning application, including the person who has applied who might be the biggest bully on the planet, for absolutely no relevance to the objection whatsoever - not acceptable.  
Just for information, the Council has now removed my address details from the list of documents.  They have concurred.  And will that make any difference to the validity of my objection?  Not one iota.  Will it make any difference to my privacy and safety - absolutely!

k3lvc

leafy211 said:

Just for information, the Council has now removed my address details from the list of documents.  They have concurred.  And will that make any difference to the validity of my objection?  Not one iota.  Will it make any difference to my privacy and safety - absolutely!

So where do you suggest they draw the line - should planning applications be anonymous too ?

There are certain elements as @mjm3346 quotes above that continue to be matters of public/procedural record - all that 'online' has done is made it easier to search for 

user1977

It's the same principle as the axiom that justice should not only be done, but be seen to be done. How does anybody assess whether the council considered the matter fairly if nobody other than the council knows where the objections came from, or whether they even existed?

leafy211

So where should they draw the line with what?  Not break GDPR rules would be good for a start, dont you think?
The council should stick to the facts, get the questions or objections answered or investigated, and deal with the matter.  Like any non public-sector company would have to do.  Naming names serves no purpose whatsoever - its like going back to the mentality of the 70's.
Should planning applications be anonymous too? PHMG 
Im really surprised that of the responses ive received the feeling is the council is right to publish the private contact details of anyone raising an objection any application they receive.  No personal contact details of anyone should be published openly by any organisation without the explicit permission of the owner of that information. 
As mentioned previously, Im very happy to report my council has seen sense and the error of their ways.  Certainly for me on this occasion.  Hopefully they will do the right thing going forward, unless they simply dont want to receive any objections to anything ....  

leafy211

user1977 said:

It's the same principle as the axiom that justice should not only be done, but be seen to be done. How does anybody assess whether the council considered the matter fairly if nobody other than the council knows where the objections came from, or whether they even existed?

the objections are published .. but not the home address of the objector!

sevenhills

If there was a new house to be built and the council published its particulars, but without its address. It was then built next to your house, would you have liked to known the address, before it was built?

powerful_Rogue

leafy211 said:

So where should they draw the line with what?  Not break GDPR rules would be good for a start, dont you think?
The council should stick to the facts, get the questions or objections answered or investigated, and deal with the matter.  Like any non public-sector company would have to do.  Naming names serves no purpose whatsoever - its like going back to the mentality of the 70's.
Should planning applications be anonymous too? PHMG 
Im really surprised that of the responses ive received the feeling is the council is right to publish the private contact details of anyone raising an objection any application they receive.  No personal contact details of anyone should be published openly by any organisation without the explicit permission of the owner of that information. 
As mentioned previously, Im very happy to report my council has seen sense and the error of their ways.  Certainly for me on this occasion.  Hopefully they will do the right thing going forward, unless they simply dont want to receive any objections to anything ....  

It doesn't, that's already been established.

leafy211

sevenhills said:

If there was a new house to be built and the council published its particulars, but without its address. It was then built next to your house, would you have liked to known the address, before it was built?

i have absolutely no idea what the relevance of your comment is to my situation. 

TELLIT01

Maybe a compromise of using the postcode of the objector would work, in most instances at least.  The council would still know the full details but the postcode would at least show that the objector was local.